Background Acute pulmonary thromboembolism （APE） causes right ventricular dysfunction （RVD） and cardiac troponin I （cTnl） elevation. Patients with RVD and cTnl elevation have a worse prognosis. Thus, early detec...Background Acute pulmonary thromboembolism （APE） causes right ventricular dysfunction （RVD） and cardiac troponin I （cTnl） elevation. Patients with RVD and cTnl elevation have a worse prognosis. Thus, early detection of RVD and cTnl elevation is beneficial for risk stratification. In this study, we assessed 14-day adverse clinical events and combined RVD on transthoracic echocardiography （TTE） with cTnl in risk stratification among a broad spectrum of APE patients. Methods The prospective multi-centre trial included 90 patients with confirmed APE from 12 collaborating hospitals. Acute RVD on TTE was diagnosed in the presence of at least 2 of the following： right ventricular dilatation （without hypertrophy）, loss of inspiratory collapse of inferior vena cava （IVC）, right ventricular （RV） hypokinesis, tricuspid regurgitant jet velocity 〉2.8 m/s. The study patients were divided into two groups according to clinical and echocardiographic findings at presentation： Group Ⅰ： 50 patients with RVD; Group Ⅱ：40 patients without RVD. Results More than half of the patients （50/90, 55.6%） had RVD. Nearly one third （26/90, 28.9%） of patients had elevated cTnl at presentation and only 4.2% on the fourth day after initial therapy. A multiple Logistic regression model implied RVD, right and left ventricular end-diastolic diameter ratio （RVED/LVED）, and cTnl independently predict an adverse 14-day clinical outcome （P〈0.01）. Receiver operating characteristics （ROC） curves revealed that the cut-off values of RVED/LVED and cTnl yielding the highest discriminating power were 0.65 and 0.11 ng/ml, respectively. Furthermore, the incidence of an adverse 14-day clinical event in patients with RVD and elevated cTnl was greater （40.7%） than in patients with elevated cTnl or positive RVD alone （0% and 8.3%, respectively） （P〈0.001）. Conclusions RVD, RVED/LVED, and cTnl are independent predictors of 14-day clinical outcomes. The patients with RVED/LVED greater than 0.65展开更多
Background Tissue Doppler imaging （TDI） has provided an objective means to quantify global and regional left ventricular （LV） and right ventricular （RV） function with improved accuracy and greater reproducibilit...Background Tissue Doppler imaging （TDI） has provided an objective means to quantify global and regional left ventricular （LV） and right ventricular （RV） function with improved accuracy and greater reproducibility than conventional echocardiography. This study was conducted to assess RV myocardial systolic activation by TDI in subjects with pulmonary arterial hypertension （PAH）. Methods A total of 30 patients with PAH and 30 healthy volunteers, all comparable in age and sex, underwent standard Doppler echo and TDI. Using pulsed Doppler echocardiography combined with TDI, the following regional parameters were evaluated in three different myocardial segments （RV basal lateral wall, basal septal, and LV basal lateral） on apical 4-chamber view： systolic （Sm）, early- and late-diastolic （Em and Am） peak velocities. RV myocardial systolic activation delay was defined as the difference in time to peak TDI systolic velocities between the RV basal lateral wall and basal septal. In addition, RV end-diastolic and end-systolic areas were measured to calculate RV fractional area change from the same apical 4-chamber view. Results Compared with the control group, patients with PAH showed increased RA and RV end-diastolic diameter （RA： （4.5±1.2）cm vs （3.0±0.8）cm, P〈0.05 and RV： （4.8±1.9）cm vs （3.4±0.5）cm, P〈0.05） and reduced RV fractional area change; （35±14）% vs （56±9）%, P〈0.05. These PAH patients showed lower myocardial peak velocities and a significant activation delay compared with controls （P〈0.05）. Moreover, a strong correlation between RV myocardial systolic activation delay and RV fractional area change was shown in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension （r = -0.82）. Conclusions In PAH, RV myocardial systolic activation was markedly delayed, which was directly related to the RV fractional area change. RV myocardial systolic activation delay assessed by TDI could offer a unique approach to predict RV dysfunction.展开更多
Background It is known that the main role of D-dimer has been as an exclusionary test in patients with suspected venous thromboembolism.However,the D-dimer is increasingly beginning to find clinical utility as a marke...Background It is known that the main role of D-dimer has been as an exclusionary test in patients with suspected venous thromboembolism.However,the D-dimer is increasingly beginning to find clinical utility as a marker in the evaluation of the extent of the embolic disease.The aim of the study was to determine whether D-dimer levels predict the radiological markers of pulmonary embolism （PE） severity using Mastora score.Methods This prospective study involved 69 patients with acute PE proved by computed tomography pulmonary angiography （CTPA）.The D-dimer level was noted.A pulmonary artery obstruction index （PAOI; Mastora score） ≥21.3% indicated severe obstruction of PE.A right ventricle/left ventricle （RV/LV） ratio 〉0.9 indicated RV dysfunction.Results The median D-dimer level and PAOI were 765 μg/L （95% C/：750-1 205 μg/L） and 16.77% （95% CI：16.32%-23.06%）,respectively.The D-dimer level was positively correlated with PAOI （r=0.417,P 〈0.000 1）.PAOI ≥21.3% was associated with high D-dimer levels （median,993 μg/L （95% C/：856-1 841 μg/L）,Z=-2.991,P=0.003）.The D-dimer level was correlated with the RV/LV ratio （r=0.272,P=0.024）.RV/LV ratios 〉0.9 were associated with high D-dimer levels （median,880 μg/L （95% CI：764-1 360 μg/L）,Z=-2.070,P=0.038）.PAOI was positively correlated with the RV/LV ratio （r =0.390,P=0.001）.After three months,both the PAOI and D-dimer levels decreased （Z=-7.009,P 〈0.000 1; Z=-6.976,P〈0.000 1,respectively）.Conclusion D-dimer levels are positively correlated with PE burden and right ventricle dysfunction on CTPA,and can help monitor the therapeutic response.展开更多
Mechanical circulatory and/or respiratory assistance with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has become a standard of care for patients with circulatory (venoarterial) and/or respiratory (venovenous) failure r...Mechanical circulatory and/or respiratory assistance with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has become a standard of care for patients with circulatory (venoarterial) and/or respiratory (venovenous) failure refractory to standard therapies. Adult patients with congenital heart disease are an increasingly recognized and growing population and include various groups, such as undiagnosed cases in childhood and palliated and/or corrected cases, which require subsequent care because of residual lesions, cardiac arrest/insufficiency, and arrhythmias, among other conditions. In addition, these patients are prone to developing pathologies that are typical of adulthood with a generally increased risk of morbidity and mortality because of their low reserves and organic damage associated with the underlying heart disease, which makes them candidates for ECMO. These patients represent an additional challenge in this therapy because malformations and the presence of a shunt can generally affect the usual cannulation methods and hemodynamic and oximetry monitoring. Thus, the configuration decision must be made on a case-by-case basis. Here, we present a cannulation method, venopulmonary artery ECMO, which provides hemodynamic and respiratory support, and may be ideal for patients with shunts and/or right ventricular dysfunction. To our knowledge, this is the first report of this configuration in patients with congenital heart diseases.展开更多
基金This study was supported by a grant from National Project of the DiagnosisTreatment Strategies for Pulmonary Thromboembolism in China(NATSPUTE)(No.2004BA703B07)
文摘Background Acute pulmonary thromboembolism （APE） causes right ventricular dysfunction （RVD） and cardiac troponin I （cTnl） elevation. Patients with RVD and cTnl elevation have a worse prognosis. Thus, early detection of RVD and cTnl elevation is beneficial for risk stratification. In this study, we assessed 14-day adverse clinical events and combined RVD on transthoracic echocardiography （TTE） with cTnl in risk stratification among a broad spectrum of APE patients. Methods The prospective multi-centre trial included 90 patients with confirmed APE from 12 collaborating hospitals. Acute RVD on TTE was diagnosed in the presence of at least 2 of the following： right ventricular dilatation （without hypertrophy）, loss of inspiratory collapse of inferior vena cava （IVC）, right ventricular （RV） hypokinesis, tricuspid regurgitant jet velocity 〉2.8 m/s. The study patients were divided into two groups according to clinical and echocardiographic findings at presentation： Group Ⅰ： 50 patients with RVD; Group Ⅱ：40 patients without RVD. Results More than half of the patients （50/90, 55.6%） had RVD. Nearly one third （26/90, 28.9%） of patients had elevated cTnl at presentation and only 4.2% on the fourth day after initial therapy. A multiple Logistic regression model implied RVD, right and left ventricular end-diastolic diameter ratio （RVED/LVED）, and cTnl independently predict an adverse 14-day clinical outcome （P〈0.01）. Receiver operating characteristics （ROC） curves revealed that the cut-off values of RVED/LVED and cTnl yielding the highest discriminating power were 0.65 and 0.11 ng/ml, respectively. Furthermore, the incidence of an adverse 14-day clinical event in patients with RVD and elevated cTnl was greater （40.7%） than in patients with elevated cTnl or positive RVD alone （0% and 8.3%, respectively） （P〈0.001）. Conclusions RVD, RVED/LVED, and cTnl are independent predictors of 14-day clinical outcomes. The patients with RVED/LVED greater than 0.65
文摘Background Tissue Doppler imaging （TDI） has provided an objective means to quantify global and regional left ventricular （LV） and right ventricular （RV） function with improved accuracy and greater reproducibility than conventional echocardiography. This study was conducted to assess RV myocardial systolic activation by TDI in subjects with pulmonary arterial hypertension （PAH）. Methods A total of 30 patients with PAH and 30 healthy volunteers, all comparable in age and sex, underwent standard Doppler echo and TDI. Using pulsed Doppler echocardiography combined with TDI, the following regional parameters were evaluated in three different myocardial segments （RV basal lateral wall, basal septal, and LV basal lateral） on apical 4-chamber view： systolic （Sm）, early- and late-diastolic （Em and Am） peak velocities. RV myocardial systolic activation delay was defined as the difference in time to peak TDI systolic velocities between the RV basal lateral wall and basal septal. In addition, RV end-diastolic and end-systolic areas were measured to calculate RV fractional area change from the same apical 4-chamber view. Results Compared with the control group, patients with PAH showed increased RA and RV end-diastolic diameter （RA： （4.5±1.2）cm vs （3.0±0.8）cm, P〈0.05 and RV： （4.8±1.9）cm vs （3.4±0.5）cm, P〈0.05） and reduced RV fractional area change; （35±14）% vs （56±9）%, P〈0.05. These PAH patients showed lower myocardial peak velocities and a significant activation delay compared with controls （P〈0.05）. Moreover, a strong correlation between RV myocardial systolic activation delay and RV fractional area change was shown in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension （r = -0.82）. Conclusions In PAH, RV myocardial systolic activation was markedly delayed, which was directly related to the RV fractional area change. RV myocardial systolic activation delay assessed by TDI could offer a unique approach to predict RV dysfunction.
文摘Background It is known that the main role of D-dimer has been as an exclusionary test in patients with suspected venous thromboembolism.However,the D-dimer is increasingly beginning to find clinical utility as a marker in the evaluation of the extent of the embolic disease.The aim of the study was to determine whether D-dimer levels predict the radiological markers of pulmonary embolism （PE） severity using Mastora score.Methods This prospective study involved 69 patients with acute PE proved by computed tomography pulmonary angiography （CTPA）.The D-dimer level was noted.A pulmonary artery obstruction index （PAOI; Mastora score） ≥21.3% indicated severe obstruction of PE.A right ventricle/left ventricle （RV/LV） ratio 〉0.9 indicated RV dysfunction.Results The median D-dimer level and PAOI were 765 μg/L （95% C/：750-1 205 μg/L） and 16.77% （95% CI：16.32%-23.06%）,respectively.The D-dimer level was positively correlated with PAOI （r=0.417,P 〈0.000 1）.PAOI ≥21.3% was associated with high D-dimer levels （median,993 μg/L （95% C/：856-1 841 μg/L）,Z=-2.991,P=0.003）.The D-dimer level was correlated with the RV/LV ratio （r=0.272,P=0.024）.RV/LV ratios 〉0.9 were associated with high D-dimer levels （median,880 μg/L （95% CI：764-1 360 μg/L）,Z=-2.070,P=0.038）.PAOI was positively correlated with the RV/LV ratio （r =0.390,P=0.001）.After three months,both the PAOI and D-dimer levels decreased （Z=-7.009,P 〈0.000 1; Z=-6.976,P〈0.000 1,respectively）.Conclusion D-dimer levels are positively correlated with PE burden and right ventricle dysfunction on CTPA,and can help monitor the therapeutic response.
文摘Mechanical circulatory and/or respiratory assistance with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has become a standard of care for patients with circulatory (venoarterial) and/or respiratory (venovenous) failure refractory to standard therapies. Adult patients with congenital heart disease are an increasingly recognized and growing population and include various groups, such as undiagnosed cases in childhood and palliated and/or corrected cases, which require subsequent care because of residual lesions, cardiac arrest/insufficiency, and arrhythmias, among other conditions. In addition, these patients are prone to developing pathologies that are typical of adulthood with a generally increased risk of morbidity and mortality because of their low reserves and organic damage associated with the underlying heart disease, which makes them candidates for ECMO. These patients represent an additional challenge in this therapy because malformations and the presence of a shunt can generally affect the usual cannulation methods and hemodynamic and oximetry monitoring. Thus, the configuration decision must be made on a case-by-case basis. Here, we present a cannulation method, venopulmonary artery ECMO, which provides hemodynamic and respiratory support, and may be ideal for patients with shunts and/or right ventricular dysfunction. To our knowledge, this is the first report of this configuration in patients with congenital heart diseases.
